Improved method of lighting gas by frictional electricity



W. W. BATGHELDER. BLBGTRIG GAS LIGHTING.

No. 26,964. Patented Jan. 31,1860.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

W. NV. BATCHELDER,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

lMPROVED METHOD 0F LIGHTING GAS BY FRICTIONAL ELECTRlClTY.

To all whom it may concern i Beitknown that I, W. YV. BATCHELDER, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented an Improved Mode of lgniting Gas; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the principle orharacter which distinguishes it from all other things before known, and of the usual manner ot' making, modifying, and using the same, reference vbeing had yto the vaccompanying drawings, of which--rv Figure 1 is an elevation of a gas-fixture and electromotor attached Fig. 2, a vertical middle section throughvthe electromotor; Fig. 3, an elevation showin gthe electromotorattached to agasxturc with two burners.

My invention consists in a mode ot' lighting gas byelectricity, described and represented as follows:

I connect with an ordinary gasixture an electromotor, in such manner that when the stop-cock b is turned to let on 7 the gas to the burner c electricity is developed, and so brought to bear upon the gas-jet as to ignite iti. This gis effected as follows. -The electroinotor in this instance is a frictional electric machine constructed as follows:

d is a small box, of the size represented in the drawings, made of whatis known as hard rubber i or other ,suitable electric. Within this box'are two eccentric cylinders, c e, of hard rubber or other suitable electric, and between these cylinders passes the rubber a and the collector fi. The rubber is made of wash-leather and attached to an arm, h,which revolves with the central spindle or shaft, k, connected with Ithe thumb-piece t of the stop-cock. The collector t, which is merely a. bent wire, as shown in the drawings, is connected with -the prime conductor r. This conductor, which is a helix of wire covered with guttafpercha, surrounds 'the hollow stem pr 'shaft which rises from the bottom of the box d, one end of the helix being connected with a small conducting-wire, s, passing through the top of the box d.` When the stop-cock is turned tolet on the gas it gives l rapid motion to the box d through the gear u, pinion fv, gear fw,

Tonia being 4att-,ached to the bottom of the box.

and pinion a2, thepin- The electricity developed by the friction of the rubber between the cylinders e c is received by the collector and conveyed through the prime conductor to the wire S.-

The wire c, which has a loop, a', on its end where it embraces wire s, is insulated from the gas burner and pipe by little stems ot' gattapercha, a2 (t2, or other suitable means, and when the stop-cock is turned an electric spark passes from the end a across the jet of gas and ignites it.

In case there are scveralburners or a chandelier the electromotor is placedcen trally, and is of size and energy proportioned to the uumber of burners. r It is obvious that a great variety of forms and other species of electromotors may be substituted with the same effect as the above described; audit is also obvious that various mechanical arrangements and decharacter of my invention, which consists in connecting the elcctrolnotor whatever it may be) with the gas-fixture itself, so that the person who lets on the gas is enabled at the same time to bring the electric fluid into action so as to ignite the jet oi' gas.

I am awarethat a jet ot' gas has been before lighted by the electric spark, and also by wires heated by an electric current generated by an `electromotor not connected with the gas-fixtures, except by electric conductors, and such devices I do not claim but l. Attaching the electromotor to the gas- Iixture, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth, meaning by gas-fixture that part of the gas pipe or conductor which is in proximity to the burner, and to which the burner is attached, whether it be a bracket, drop-light, chandelier, orstan d ,or other an alo -gous fixture.

2. Connecting the electromotor with the stop-cock, so that the act of turning the same to let on the gas shall bring the electromotor into action, as herein set forth.

t v W. W. BATGHELDER. Witnesses Cms. G. PAGE,

WM. H. HARRISON.

vices may be adopted'withont changing the' 

